Wild Goose Chase

I had my first Wild Goose chase today, in search of the Bean Goose that was reported on Birdguides yesterday.

I started at Longhirst Flash where it was reported but no sign, only 2 Mute Swans and a couple of Coots.

Next to Linton Lane, no sign there either. A Mute Swan family with 2 cygnets showed well in front of the hide at the bigger pond but as usual no camera. There were also 4 third year Herring Gulls on the left island on the smaller pond as well as all the usual suspects.

The same at Bothal Pond just another Mute Swan family with 6 cygnets and some coots with there young.

On tuesday I visited Holywell Pond and took these Crap photos:

I cant even be bothered to upload the rest

The Reward

With most of the day available I decided to act on yesterdays decision and went to Druridge Pools in search of the Temminck's Stint and anything else that I could add to my list.
On my way to the Druridge I went the Cresswell way past the pond and this is when I noticed a Spoonbill feeding in the flooded field next to Cresswell causeway.
With a car behind me I couldn't stop and decided to come back to the pond later.
I spent about an hour searching the Budge field at Druridge for the Stint but found nothing.
Checking the main pool and finding nothing I had one last try at the half built hide where I had seen the Lesser Yellowlegs a few weeks ago.
After checking for about 15 minutes all I saw were a few Gadwall, Shellduck, Garganey and a Snipe this was until two men came out of the main pool hide and within minutes of them checking, managed not only to find the Temm Stint flitting around the long grass on the waters edge but also a Little Stint.
Both Stints then disappeared back into the long grass and I disappeared off to Cresswell Pond.
As I was leaving about ten people came to look for the Temm Stint and after talking to one of the people he said that he had seen three Spoonbill at Hauxley at 6:30 this morning after hearing that they were flying south of Long Nanny at 4:30.
I then thought I saw two Wrynecks in the trees next to the Budge field hide but was unaible to get a claer sighting of them before they flew off further into the bushes. So if any are reported here I know I can add them to my list as they are very distinctive birds.
I stopped at the car park next to the dunes at Cresswell as a group of people were gathered here looking a the Spoonbill which was feeding only meters away from the stone wall dividing the pond from the road.
What a bird and what good views, why didn't I bring my camera.
The only other time I have seen Spoonbills was last summer at Leighton Moss in Lancashire where I got distant views of eight feeding in the water but todays was a county first for me.
Thanks to everybody that helped and talked to me today as this was very useful.
So thats 149 and 150 back on the list and this time they are staying which I think is a reward for making yesterdays decision.

oops!

After reflecting on my birding so far I have decided to make things harder for myself by removing 20 birds from my british birds list. I have done this because I have already misidentified five british species and included 15 species that I saw on holiday.
I would prefer to keep a clean list even if it does leave me with 148 species seen in Britain.
All of a sudden 200 by the end of the year seems a lot harder.
Well at least its honest.

Quick and to the pointless

Yesterday (not by choice) I visited Darden Lough near Elsdon.
Just like any area around the Cheviots it produced the usual moorland suspects including Curlew, Lapwing, Stonechat, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Cuckoo, Pheasant, Grey Partridge, Red Grouse and Kestrel. Although I did see my second Goshawk of the year flying over towards Harwood Forest.
At the lough it self there was only a dead Sheep in the water, nothing else.
I did see a Great Spotted Woodpecker in Morrisons car park in Morpeth on the way home.
Red Backed Shrike, Common Rosefinch, Icterine Warbler, Barred Warbler and Marsh Warbler all seen around the county today. I can feel 200 getting closer. I hope.

Where do I start...
Last week I had my first trip to Low Barns Nature Reserve in County Durham. I spent a good few hours there but saw very little of interest but I did enjoy it. No sign of the Bittern that was reported there last month.
On the way home I did see a Tawny Owl asleep in a tree by the side of the road at the turn off to riding mill.
In between short visits to West Hartford around the weekend I saw that the Iceland Gull that has been seen across the counrty in the past few months had once again been seen only this time at Warkworth. I used to spend alot of time at Warkworth so I knew that the bird would be in the estuary between amble harbour and the river Couuet in Warkworth, so off I went to spend my bank holiday Monday.
After seeing there were at least 50+ gulls I searched through all of them until I found a striking bright White gull with no markings on its wing tips or tail standing next to two LBB gulls. I had found it just in time as it then flew off over the dunes to the other side of the estuary.
In amongst the Herring Gull, GBB Gull, LBB gull and BH Gulls were three Shellduck and a Goldeneye diving in the river.
So thats NO.168 Iceland Gull, I'm well on my way to 200!
P.S. Thanks to Holywell Birder for adding me your links page, Cheers.

Duck Phase Strikes Back

Took a trip to Duridge Pools yeasterday to see the Lesser Yellowlegs.
On arrival I was attacked by a swarm of those annoying black flies that are around at this time of the year. Dam flies.
A quick check of the pool with the half built hide and I saw the Yellowlegs feeding only meters away from the hide, in amongst the reeds.
It let me watch it for about five minutes before it disappeared into the reeds only to be replaced by two Dunlins in Summer Plumage.
Whilst waiting for the LYL to return I heard a Cuckoo which I then saw sitting on a fence post on the far side of the Pool.
Another Cuckoo then came and the pair started fighting before flying off towards the other Pools.
Also whilst I was waiting an upset Shelduck burst into the reeds that it had been guarding and chased out a male Gaganey which flew to the other side of the Pools and disappeared into the reeds. The LYL came out again breifly and began feeding next to the Dunlins.
Next off to Cresswell Pond. Not much to report apart from two Sedge Warblers giving good views infront of the hide. A quick and pointless check at Woodhorn Flash and I was off.
This weeks Duck phase is a draw between the increasing numbers of Shellduck and Gadwall which are everywhere at the minute.

Mixed Emotions

On Monday I had my first Wood Warbler of the year and first record of one in Cramlington.
Unfortunately it had hit my window and broke its neck. It took me a while to identify it as it was only young and was not a Yellow as an adult. After closer examination I decided that it was definetly a first year Wood Warbler. Although I was sad about its death it was also a good sign that this was in my garden to start with.
On Tuesday I had a quick trip to Plessey Woods where I saw Whitethroats, Jays and good views of a Red Squirrel. Hopefully all of these will one day turn up in my garden as well.